2026 THEME — “SEEING LIFE FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE”                       January – Prayer from God’s Perspective

Why do some prayers comfort the soul while others move heaven itself? When Prayer Becomes Agreement with Heaven will awaken you to the power of alignment with God’s will—calling you in 2026 to stop negotiating with heaven, start agreeing with it, and witness faith rise, authority flow, and God move mightily.

SUNDAY’S SERMON SUMMARY

This month, God is teaching us that prayer is shaped not by our limited understanding, but by His eternal perspective, inviting us to see painful seasons as moments of protection, preparation, and redirection rather than loss. What felt like abandonment was often God refining our faith and guarding us from what we could not yet see, and healing begins when surrendered memories stop defining us and start strengthening our trust. Prayer is not a tool to control outcomes but a sacred lifeline that keeps us close, calling us to return with trust instead of answers and to rest fully on God’s unchanging character.

GO TO www.belmontbaptistchurch.com/sermons and listen to Sunday’s message.

Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart

Don’t Lean: The Hidden Source of Weak Prayer

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” — Proverbs 3:5

God never said, “Don’t think.” He said, “Don’t lean.” To lean is to place your full weight on something—to let it support you. Many believers still pray, but they lean on their reasoning first. They pray after they’ve analyzed, obey after it makes sense, and surrender only when outcomes feel safe. That kind of prayer may sound faithful, but it quietly drains authority, because prayer loses power when it is filtered through control instead of trust.

Leaning Turns Prayer into a Backup Plan

When you lean on your own understanding, prayer becomes something you do after you’ve exhausted your options. God becomes a last resort instead of your first response. This is not because you doubt God’s ability, but because you trust your reasoning more than His wisdom. Weak prayer often begins here—not in rebellion, but in misplaced confidence. Faith does not mean abandoning thought; it means refusing to let understanding carry the full weight of your decisions.

Control Disguises Itself as Caution

Many believers would never say they don’t trust God, but their prayers reveal hesitation. They pray carefully, conditionally, and cautiously—trying to manage outcomes while asking God to bless them. This is control disguised as wisdom. The moment you require full clarity before obedience, you shift from faith to self-reliance. Prayer gains authority when control is released and trust is chosen even while answers are incomplete.

Faith Begins Where Understanding Ends

Faith does not begin when everything makes sense—it begins when your understanding runs out. God is faithful even when you cannot see the full path, and prayer becomes powerful when you rest the full weight of your heart on His character instead of your conclusions. When trust replaces analysis, prayer moves from negotiation to agreement. That is where peace settles, courage rises, and obedience becomes possible.

Prayer Insight Nugget

If you only trust God where you feel safe, you’re not trusting God—you’re trusting your comfort.

Soul Search

  • Where am I delaying obedience until I “understand” more?
  • What outcome am I trying to control through careful, conditional prayer?

Prayer: Lord, in the name of Jesus, I take authority over every spirit of self-reliance, fear, and control that has weakened my trust in You. I renounce leaning on my own understanding and break agreement with caution that resists obedience. I declare that I rest the full weight of my heart on Your character—good, wise, faithful, and sovereign—and I receive grace to trust You beyond what I can explain. Amen.

Challenge: Identify one situation you’ve been overthinking. Pray aloud: “Lord, I release control.” Then take one obedient step today—a call, an apology, a decision, or a boundary—without waiting for perfect clarity.

WEDNESDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS

Brind Gray’s Uncle

Aston Savaage

Joni Oberhage

Linda Mays

Carol Lawhead – Riverside in Conyers

Mandy Martin – Mary May Martin 6 lbs. 7 oz.

Myles Elliott

Rose Fuller – Pruitt-Monroe Nursing Home, Forsyth GA

Amy Garner’s Dad

Brando Echarte

Debbie Foskey 

Don Franklin’s Daughter, Darlene, Son, David

Ed Adkins – Friend of Brian Edwards

Gloria Young

Jake Jenkins

Jenkins son-in-law

June Cronan

Jean Partee’s Sister

Kim McClain’s Daughter, Amanda

Deon Lotter

Doris Loyd

Nancy Brown

Annette Ford

Andrea Nix– Friend of the Shelnutt’s

Angela Bryan’s Sisters

Ann Stanley  

Danny Jarrard   

Darlene Wiggins

Doris Loyd

Dr. and Mrs. Davis

Eric Magnusson’s Mother

Eric Ward

Friend of Linda Hodge

Gayle Sparks

Linda Alexander 

James Burnette

Jessica Headrick  

John McClain’s Mother

June Cronan’s Sister

June Davis

Kailey Bateman

Kim McClain’s Mother 

Kim’s Sisters – Ann & Brenda 

Lee Cronan

Lillianna Magnusson’s Mom

Lonzo Christian 

Lori Blount’s Mother

Mary Williams

Mary Williamson – Dana Jackson’s Mom

Mrs. Franklin 

Nora Allison

Ron And Johnnie Barry – Friends Of Ashton & Glenda Bateman

Scott Lanier 

Scotty Nix

Stephanie Seivers – Friend of the Shelnutt’s

Steve Michaels

Tom Witcher